


to old times and new beginnings

by MadokaFan1234



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Birthday, Fluff, Surprise Party, and family, but it might make you forget about sadness for a slight second, happy birthday you sorcerer dude, just lots of cheesy fluff, not too much to make your teeth rotten, sweet family shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 09:52:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16658948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadokaFan1234/pseuds/MadokaFan1234
Summary: Stephen celebrates a birthday with a surprise party put on by the Avengers and talks to Christine.





	to old times and new beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday ya funky little wizard boy

The last birthday Stephen Strange could remember he actually celebrated was over a decade ago. 

He was still a surgeon, still mildly youthful (give or take a few early grey streaks), and still in his prime. Way before his pride had gotten the best of him. It was back before the car accident, the magic lessons, becoming an Avenger, all of that.

He remembered waking up at 10 am to see Christine with a sparkling cupcake in front of him. When he arrived at the hospital, the entire staff greeted him happily. 

"Wow, Stephen," his co-workers would tease. "Working even on your birthday? Guess you're never gonna take a day off."

It was great. Sure, it wasn't anything spectacular, but it didn't have to be. It was just another day. 

The next year, however, work became more important than any celebrations. And that had continued for the next year. And the year after that. And the year after that, and so on.

Birthdays melted into regular Mondays. Sincere declarations of gratitude soon turned into a chore for everyone around him. His friends were no longer required to wish him a happy birthday -- because at that point, he didn't care himself.

Now, Christine had moved out, he was living in the Sanctum, and every birthday was spent defending the universe from yet another Demagorgon. Living the dream. 

He didn't mind, of course. Until all the wicked witches were dead, he probably won't be able to rest for a good few years or so. It was all just part of the job. He was saving lives, just like he had done all those years ago. 

On one regular Sunday, Strange entered Avengers headquarters covered in galactic blood carrying a severed head of some non-earthly creature. 

"Hey, Strange," Tony said, momentarily looking up from his tablet. "I like what you did with the robes." 

Stephen nodded in response as he sauntered through the hall, looking for an analyst and a change of clothes. During his small trip, he was met with an abundance of kind words. 

"Nice to see you, Strange." 

"Stephen! How's your day been going?" 

"Did you do something new to your beard? It looks eeally ravishing today." 

It wasn't like the Avengers weren't nice to him in general, but today Strange felt something slightly...off about these remarks. He knew shouldn't question friendliness, but there was an overarching feeling that something else was afoot.

Nevertheless, he found a room for his head and some alternate clothing and forgot his suspicions as quickly as they came. But the next time he travelled through the hall, he found it surprisingly silent.

Not a single Avenger was in sight. It was just plain, raw silence treading the air. 

Maybe there was a mission, he thought. But then, why wasn't there any alerts? 

He mused on theories for a few seconds, before ultimately deciding he was in over his head. Nothing serious was happening. Everyone just happened to be absent in the room. At least he received some kindness earlier.

He flew back to the Sanctum without any thoughts of it being an outrageously abnormal or unusual day. Or, well, anymore outrageouslt abnormal or unusual that it normally was. On the front porch, there was some shuffling he heard behind the door. 

"Wong's probably just rearranging the library," he muttered to himself as he opened the door.

And to his shock, that wasn't what it was at all.

"SURPRISE!!!"

A loud yell bombarded his presence as every Avenger, from what he could see, surrounded the center of the Sanctum. It took a lot to surprise Stephen after what he's encountered for the past years, but he couldn't help but feel astonished as he looked at the celebratory decorations that ravished the room. 

"Well, are you just gonna stand there, or are you gonna celebrate?" Wong asked.

"I didn't take a day off to just watch you stand in your library," Christine teased.

"C'mon," Tony walked over to him and pulled him away from the door. "I bought a cake and everything!"

"We made cupcakes!" Steve responded, holding a container of stylised cupcakes. 

Stephen tenderly grabbed the container and took note of each handmade confectionary; from a specifically spider-decorated treat, to one covered in ancient Asgardian runes.

"And here's a card!" Peter Parker piped up, placing a pretty piece of paper on top of the container. 

Like the cupcakes, each comment written on the small homemade card was put of love and thought. Even those who didn't reside near them, like the Pym family or the Guardians, had written something for him. 

"Even the cloak and I made something," Wong added on. He handed Stephen a small keychain with an Eye of Agamotto shaped charm on it. "It's cheap, but it's from the heart." 

There he stood, paralyzed for a second, entranced by the presents everyone had gave him. It was weird, in a sense. A group of people he'd normally seen as co-workers had come together to throw him a surprise party. 

For a second, Stephen wondered how long it had been since he'd eaten an actual cupcake on his birthday. How lonely and arrogant he had grown since his last celebration. How he never really had anyone to call his family...until now.

Was it cheesy? Yeah. Was he an emotional type? Not really. But was it true?

Judging from the abundance of happy faces that were looking at him right now, he'd have to say yes. 

"Thanks," Stephen said, uncharacteristically bashful. "I really appreciate all of this." 

With a cheer, everyone finally broke into the cake.

\---

"Better than your last party, eh?" Christine asked from aside. She and Stephen watched as Tony and Steve argued over whether cake or cupcakes were the superior choice.

"I guess," Stephen replied. "Just glad you were here for both of them."

"What are friends for, am I right?" She responded with a smile. She took a bite of her cake. "I can't believe you actually wanted to work on your birthday." She commented. 

"Old habits die hard," He said, eating his cupcake. "And, between you and I, I actually forgot it was my birthday."

"Your secret is safe with me."

Stephen smiled, finding the bliss in catching up with an old friend. "You said you took the day off for this, didn't you?"

"Yeah, well, when Wong told me they were planning on throwing a party for you, I couldn't resist," she confessed. "It took, like, 2 hours for us to put up the decorations by ourselves. Didn't help that Thor insisted on ordering the banner from some bootleg company."

Across the room, a slightly ripped banner reading "HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOCTOR STRANGLE" in bright rainbow letters hung from the ceiling. Strange acknowledged it was a simple nod.

A second passed as the two watched Wong try to keep Shuri and Peter from throttling each other after another cupcake argument spiraled out of control. Suddenly, Christine chuckled.

"This is so weird. It's like I'm celebrating some random guy's birthday."

"Like, a stranger?" 

A moment passed. Christine sighed softly, before her fave desolved into a smile.

"Do you miss the old times, Stephen?"

He contemplated it for a second, then shrugged. 

"Sometimes," he said. 

Then he looked around the library once again. A few years ago, he probably wouldn't be caught in a place that wasn't constantly surrounded by nurses. He would've figured the guys lounging in his home were just a bunch of strangers. And now, he was calling these people his family. He probably wouldn't even be calling the Sanctum his home if he were to turn back time. 

"But...I think I also like the new things in life as well," he added on.

Christine smirked. "Wow. Doctor Strange actually has a heart." She rose her plate in the air. "I say we make a toast."

"To what?"

"To old times and new beginnings."

In the distance, Stephen heard something fall, followed by Tony muttering that he could pay for it. Rolling his eyes, but simultaneously smiling, he brushed the side of his cupcake against the paper plate like a wine glass.

"To old times and new beginnings!" 

\---

It was probably the best birthday he ever had. It wasn't the most spectacular party he ever had, but it was the first time he had someone to truly celebrate it with. 

And he couldn't ask for anything more.


End file.
